Massachusetts college refuses to fly flags on campus after election drama
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A Massachusetts college will stop flying all flags on campus after an American flag was burned following Republican nominee Donald Trump’s election victory.
Hampshire College President Johnathan Lash said in a statement to WWLP-TV on Saturday that the college won’t fly any flags for the time being.
“It is a disrespect. That shouldn’t have happened in the first place,” he said.
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A college official said members of the campus community initially lowered the flag to half-staff after the Nov. 8 election. That offended other members of the community.
The flag was then found burned on Veterans Day. It was replaced and flown again at half-staff until Friday's decision to remove all flags.
According to the station, debates over flag flying have occurred on campus before. For more than a decade flying commemorative 9/11 flags have been a hot-button issue until the school board voted to fly those flags annually.
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Lash said the Amherst campus will talk with students and staff about properly utilizing flags in the future.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.